Craft room ideas for creative days

Looking for craft room ideas? Let us inspire you to create a space that you will love for years to come.

Wi-fi has made it possible to connect to the outside world from anywhere in the house, but if you run your own business, work freelance or have lots of personal admin to do, setting aside a dedicated office or craft corner will make any task more pleasant.

A redundant space on a landing, under the stairs or at the end of a long hallway can accommodate a desk that is used for short periods. Alternatively, stash office essentials in a purpose-built cupboard, complete with a desk and integrated task lighting. Then, at the end of the day, it can be shut away out of sight. If you work full time at home, its best to devote an entire space to the cause, as a cramped work area can be counterproductive. Consider converting a bedroom or the attic, both of which should be far enough from the hub of the house to be a quiet working environment.

Get the light right. Poor lighting can cause eye strain and, if the ambience in the room is flat, it can make you less productive. Lots of natural light is ideal, preferably from windows not skylights. A task light, such as an Anglepoise, is invaluable too.

Work out what you need to store – books, technology, materials – and choose shelves that can be reconfigured if needed. Wall-mounted shelves are ideal as they increase the feeling of space and are less obtrusive than floor-standing bookcases.

Invest in a well designed office chair that will support your back properly. Try Vitra for a design classic or, if youre on a budget, Ikea has good, affordable options.

Whatever your creative hobby or arty pastime and however long you spend on it each week, you will enjoy making and doing much more in a space designed to help, not hinder creativity. Take a look at these fabulous craft room ideas before you start decorating your dream space.

Want more design inspiration? Take a look at our man-cave ideas for dens of distinction.

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Craft room with vintage-style furniture and lamp shades

Put wasted areas to good use – the end of a hallway, under the stairs or a landing are all areas that could double-up as a compact work zone. Here, a crafting area fits neatly under a sloping wall. Decorate a wall with wallpaper and fabric clippings and swatches that not only look pretty, but help to aid creativity. Alternatively, pin your favourite designs to the wall in stylish frames for a smart display. When two distinct areas share a space, its important to tie them together so they dont jar – use similar styles of furniture and a common colour palette.
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Craft room with antique furniture and vintage finds

Transform a tired, unloved corner into a craft room with a few fabulous finds. Scour flea markets, antiques fairs and boot sales for vintage furniture that doesn’t cost the earth. Incorporate pieces that are not traditionally used in a craft room or home office. Here a plant stand functions as a practical unit to keep sewing materials organised.

Craft room with a trio of floral noticeboards

Pretty up a bare wall. For a simple and stylish solution where space is tight, or in a dual-purpose room where you dont want the offce area to dominate, cover plain corkboards with patterned wallpaper or fabric that ties in with the rooms colour scheme. Alternatively, self-adhesive cork tiles are cheap and can be put up in minutes to turn a whole wall into an ever-changing collage of notes, photos and inspirational whatnots.

Craft room with storage and organisation units

This craft room makes use of every inch of its cellar space. Storage is squeezed into every nook and cranny. For a neat and relaxed feel in your craft room, organise supplies in preloved bookcases, chests of drawers and shelves. This fuss-free approach keeps your materials in order, looks great and is inexpensive to pull off, even if you have an abundance of paraphernalia.

Craft room with simplified storage and patterned soft furnishings

Home offices aren’t always about paperwork – this cute decorator’s studio shows that there is a storage solution to suit any room. Sample books are filed neatly in a wooden island with an extra large cavity and hooks provide simple ways to hang fabrics. A white-painted bookcase gives the room a country-feel.

Craft room with country charm and wall decorations

Decorate your craft room with trinkets that will inspire and motivate you. Accessories give all the comforts of home for a welcoming work space. Hang framed artwork to give bare walls more personality and to make the space look more like the other rooms in your home.

Craft room with fitted storage and wooden flooring

Be ruthless with clutter. If you know exactly what you want to store in your craft room, or you simply want to have everything hidden away and out of sight, then consider installing fitted units. To keep the offce from looking untidy stash things in boxes or behind cupboard doors for a streamlined finish. For a classic scheme that won’t date, you can’t beat the natural good looks of wood. Alternatively, look in salvage yards for discarded standalone pieces. Don’t be discouraged when sourcing salvaged wood – even when damaged, wood can often be restored to its former glory, so you can make the most of auction room acquisitions or junk-shop finds. You may even find an artist’s preloved easel!

Craft room with pretty floral furnishings

As well as using them for decoration, turn the walls of your office into a practical feature. Cover the wall so that it becomes a practical surface – cork tiles, magnetic paint or blackboard paint are all good options. You need to create a free area on at least one wall – the scale will depend on how much space you have, from a totally bare wall to a smaller section above a desk or shelving unit.

Craft room with open shelves and storage desk

Display your magazine files along an open shelf for easy access. Match them to the wall colour for a seamless, unobtrusive look or create a feature with a contrasting material. Keep the colours calm in a craft room or home office to promote a good working environment. To stop your space from looking too clinical, add a splash of colour through soft furnishings, but stick to one or two colours.

Outdoor craft room with modern furniture and wooden panelling

If you need more space and you need it fast, an outdoor room could be the answer. They work particularly well as offices or studios and are often more cost-effective than travelling to and renting a space. Even the short walk down the garden can feel like ‘going to work’, plus they can be closed up at the end of the day.